Senior Legal Counsel

Summary

Join Dept’s Legal Team in the UK as Legal Counsel - Commercial Contracts. You will advise the business, manage and negotiate commercial contracts across marketing and technology operations, collaborating with teams across the UK, US, and Europe. Ensure compliance with UK laws, mitigate risks, and support commercial objectives. Draft, review, and negotiate various agreements. Provide expert advice on UK contract law and best practices. Maintain contract templates and legal workflows. Partner with teams to identify and mitigate legal risks. Stay informed on legal and regulatory changes. Dept offers a supportive environment, personal development opportunities, and a collaborative team.

Requirements

• Qualified solicitor in England and Wales
• Strong knowledge of UK contract law, with experience in European legal frameworks being highly desirable
• A minimum of 6 years of post-qualification experience in a law firm or in-house legal role, ideally with exposure to (digital) marketing, advertising, or technology sectors
• Experience of commercial contracts counsel within a service industry setting
• Pragmatic, business-oriented approach to resolving legal issues
• Exceptional analytical skills and attention to detail
• Fluent in English, both written and spoken; additional European language skills are an advantage
• A proactive, independent team player who thrives in a fast-paced, international environment and embraces a dynamic, evolving business landscape

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements, including client services (e.g. master service agreements, statements of work, service level agreements), supplier contracts, and licensing agreements (IP, AI, software)
• Provide expert advice on UK contract law and commercial best practices, with a focus on risk mitigation and compliance
• Support the development and maintenance of contract templates, policies, and legal workflows
• Partner with business and operational teams to identify and mitigate legal risks while achieving commercial objectives
• Stay informed about changes in UK law and industry-specific regulations, including data protection (UK GDPR) and technology-related legal developments

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of UK contract law, with experience in European legal frameworks being highly desirable
• A minimum of 6 years of post-qualification experience in a law firm or in-house legal role, ideally with exposure to (digital) marketing, advertising, or technology sectors
• Fluent in English, both written and spoken; additional European language skills are an advantage

Benefits

• An excellent salary based on experience and equal pay policies
• Hybrid working: you have the choice to work from our office or remotely, and we have core working hours where you can choose your start and finish times to suit you
• Pension, free private healthcare, mental health support, and company sick pay scheme
• 25 days paid holiday with the opportunity to buy extra days
• Refreshments are provided in the office all week, as well as drinks at 4 pm on a Friday
• We celebrate successes by rewarding teams when big projects go live and honouring the year’s top achievements at our annual awards ceremony
• The opportunity for possibility. We want to enable you to do what you do best and help you develop your skills further with training, development and certifications
• Global annual DEPT® Cares Month in which employees come together and donate their skills to support local charities